Rooting for the Cubs
by the author formerly known as
Summary: Bella is willing to be many things for her husband: calm, loving, honourable, hell, even patient sometimes. But she will never sink so low as to cheer for the Chicago Cubs. Not even for Edward Cullen. Not even for sex. EB quite silly. COMPLETE


**_Rooting for the Cubs_**

_(1/2) Help me, Emmett,_ the text from Bella said. _Edward is withholding sexual favors if I don't declare my undying love_

Emmett wrinkled his brow as he stared at the screen, a little confused.

"What's wrong?" Jasper asked, and Emmett soundlessly showed him the text.

Jasper pouted, saying, "Bella declares her undying love for Edward _all the time_. If I have to see those two exchange platitudes once more I swear I'm going to redevelop my gag reflex."

"...Don't joke about that, Jasper," Emmett teased with mock solemnity, and it took a moment for the subtext to sink in. The blond laughed.

"Perv. I'm telling my sister _and _your sister that you're hitting on me."

Emmett was momentarily distracted from the witty (?) comeback he was about to make by the beeping of his phone.

"Oh, dear," he said as he looked at the screen. "Oh, that's awful. This is just terrible. It's much worse than we thought. And it makes a lot more sense when you attach the second half of the message."

"Huh?" Jasper asked, and Emmett held out the phone for him to see.

_(2/2) for the Chicago Cubs__._

_

* * *

_

"I mean, _no one_ likes the Chicago Cubs," a sexually repressed Bella was telling Jasper later.

He nodded sagely. "Not gonna argue on that point, darlin."

Emmett added, "Not even the _Chicago Cubs_ like the Chicago Cubs."

Bella groaned, sliding down into the cushions of the pristine white sofa in their living room. "Well, Edward does. He's so pumped this season."

They were awkwardly silent. "He doesn't _actually_ think they'll win?" Emmett asked.

"He's actually thought they were going to win for the last century," Jasper said dryly.

"The Chicago Cubs have never even won a world series in my lifetime!" Bella complained.

"Not saying much," Jasper quipped.

"Hell," Emmett interrupted. "They've never won a world series in _my_ lifetime."

"They've won four in Edward's," Jasper pointed out.

"Well, considering that he is quickly approaching the age of 125, forgive me for being unimpressed," Bella said, pouting.

The two men chuckled.

"He won't last long, Bella. Edward is even more perverted than you–" Emmett peered at her curiously. "–I think. He'll 'withhold' sex for another couple of weeks at the most before he's kneeling at your feet begging you to wear those stocking things or whatever again."

"Don't _ever_ wear those stockings again," Jasper said, looking drawn and frightened. "The bloody _walls_ were lustful after that stunt of yours."

"It wasn't a stunt," Bella protested, but then added in a thoughtful tone, "I should find it disturbing that I'm more comfortable discussing this with you two than I am discussing it with Alice and Rosalie. Of course..." Bella grimaced. "They _liked_ the stockings idea."

Maybe somewhere deep down, Bella secretly liked it too. But she'd never admit it aloud.

Emmett nodded. "They can be strange."

Jasper looked cautious. He said, "I know it's tempting to dress up and all for 'sexy time' or whatever you and Edward call it." ("Well we certainly don't call it sexy time," Bella murmured with a raised eyebrow). "But _please, _Bella, please promise me you'll never wear the stockings again. It makes Edward crazy. And that makes me crazy... I don't ever want to witness a chase scene like that again, especially not if I have to feel the psychotic, crazed lust to go with."

"Hmm, I promise, Jasper. Wouldn't want Edward to forget his reasoning, would we?" Bella said, gazing out the windows. Perhaps it was time to admit that she _did_ like the stockings after all.

* * *

"Here," Rosalie said, tossing a little box down on the bed."I know you said you needed a new pair."

"Where'd you get them so quickly?" Bella asked. She'd ordered some online and was hating the days that passed as she waited.

"Well they aren't silk or anything," Rose told her. "I was in that new store out by the Fruitique and they were selling these." She cleared her throat, though she didn't need to. "I imagine they'll be ruined after a few uses. But I was rather under the impression that this was an... emergency?"

Bella paused, hand hovering inches above the box. Emmett _told _Rosalie? She would strangle him. However, now was not the time to be picky. She looked out the window, where beneath the blazing Sun, the men were warming up for a game of baseball of their own. In anticipation of the series, they were all a bit out of sorts. Some more than others. Bella fanned herself and thought of the last time her husband had touched her.

"Yes," Bella said firmly. "This is a most_ definitely _an emergency."

* * *

Bella had the decency, at least, to wait until they were home alone.

"Edward..."

She beckoned him to her, and he crossed the room in two quick strides. Bella found herself pressed against the wall, with her legs wrapped about Edward's waist. He ran his strong hands along the fabric of her stockings, growling predatorily and shifting his hips directly into contact with hers.

Bella moaned, squeezing him closer to her with one hand on his shoulder and the other tangled in his hair.

Soon Edward's lips were traveling across her face, her neck, her shoulders, and he dipped his head down toward her breasts before slowly making his way back up to her mouth.

_Yes_, this was just what Bella needed. How she'd longed for him. Bella smirked against Edward's neck as he licked the skin behind her ear. She knew this business with baseball wouldn't last. Edward was just a little put out because they were the only couple in the household who weren't united in their team preferences. But Charlie had raised Bella right. She cheered for no team but the Washington Nationals.

Edward stepped back, pulling Bella with him. Still cradling her against his chest, he slowly carried her over to the bed, crawling upon it but still holding her in his arms, not letting any part of her slip onto the comforter below

What was team loyalty compared to their love anyway?

Edward pressed his lips to the inner shell of her ear, his breath fanning out across her cheek. His fingers tightened around her legs, hard enough that she would bruise if she could. Bella felt that squeeze all the way down to her toes, up to her neck, and its repercussions left a deep pool of heat between her thighs. She gasped, squirming against him.

"_Oh_, Edward–"

"_Go, Cubs, go_," Edward whispered, and dropped Bella onto the bed before leaving the room without a second glance back.

* * *

Emmett found Bella curled in a ball in the upstairs movie room, wearing nothing but silk panties, stockings and a Nationals t-shirt.

"Uh. Dear God, Bella."

She looked up from her knees, lower lip quivering and eyes as wild and harsh as the African planes.

"It didn't work," she declared wretchedly.

"Seriously? You approached him wearing a Nationals shirt and expected him to overlook it because of _some stockings?_"

Bella sniffed, insulted.

"Don't be stupid, Emmett. I was wearing _this_."

She unbuttoned her shirt and showed Emmett what she had on underneath.

"_Oh_. And... he didn't bat an eye?"

Bella's expression became even more devastated. "He– he..." She looked away, and though Emmett had none of Jasper's gift, he suspected she would be blushing if it were possible. "He got me all worked up before he said "Go Cubs!" and left."

Emmett blinked. He stared at Bella for a moment, taking in her disheveled appearance and horrified facial expression. Then without any way to stop himself, Emmett threw his head back and laughed and laughed until he thought he might redevelop his ability to cramp.

Some days he wondered how his family thought they could get away with citing _vampirism_ as the reason for their abnormalcy.

* * *

"From fair Chicago!" Edward was saying valiantly, pumping his fist for emphasis, "The city of greats, where all that glitters is gold, and–"

"Really?" Bella asked grumpily from her seat on their leather couch. "I thought at least one thing that glitters from Chicago was a pretentious ass who's no taste in what constitutes a good baseball team."

Edward stopped, looking condescendingly at his wife. Then his expression turned wicked, and he stepped closer, now towering over her.

"Are you ready to give in, Bella?" Edward whispered to her, bending down slowly until they were level. His hands ghosted across her legs. "You seem– tense."

Bella swallowed, frozen in her seat.

"Are you ready to take this off?" Edward's hands pulled gently at the fabric of her Nationals shirt.

"I– I– This won't work, Edward. I'll never..." Bella pulled in a shuddering breath as the sofa sank beneath Edward's weight. One hand snaked its way up beneath the fabric of her shirt, caressing her spine. The other ghosted against the seam of her jeans, higher and higher until she felt the gentlest touch against the very place she most missed his touch.

"No?"

Edward sounded amused, and though she looked resolutely away, she heard him licking his lips right next to her ear.

"I will _never_... never cheer for the Chicago Cubs."

"Why not? Those from Chicago..." Edward pressed his body firmly against Bella. "...do fantastic things with their hands."

Bella slumped against him, one tiny fist pressed into his chest.

"Uh. Uh..."

"Isabella?" She was lost in the haze of his sweet breath and even sweeter hands. _123 years of piano lessons in those fingers, _Bella thought dazedly. "This Nationals shirt's gonna have to go."

* * *

The television on, most members of the Cullen household were lost in the match between the New York Mets and Houston Astros.

"YES!" Emmett screamed, leaping from his seat and punching the air enthusiastically as Jasper slumped down into the cushions. "As usual the better team comes out on top!"

Rosalie and Emmett shrieked as they high fived.

Somewhere upstairs, Bella could be heard rooting enthusiastically for the Chicago Cubs. Those in the room paused, glancing toward the ceiling. Jasper shuddered delicately, and Alice turned up the volume on the TV.


End file.
